One Step Closer
by mitdemadlerimherzen
Summary: Why does 15-year old Dora Tonks stay in the garden all night? And what the hell happened the other day? I don't know but maybe this story can tell.
1. Nightwatch

_Okay, so this piece is VERY influenced by the fabulous stories of an author named FernWithy. You can find him oder her at TheSugarQuill. I can only recommend her stories! _

_The only thing you have to know really, to follow my piece of whatever it is, is that Remus and Dora Tonks have known each other since she was five._

_Disclaimer: Do I have to do this AGAIN? I was under the impression that I had my point perfectly clear in various other stories. Oh, an owl from Harry. It says that Umbridge was thrown into a cell in Azkaban! Well that's good news! I own Harry Potter!_

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><p><strong>Nightwatch<strong>

15-year old Nymphadora Tonks stood at the edge of the garden, leaning against a fence and looking across a wide field towards the edge of the forest. The sun was down for hours but it was a warm August night and Nymphadora told herself that the queasiness inside her came from the ice cream she was licking. Then – a shadow to her right! ... – just her cat. She drew a deep breath. The crowns of the trees, which were nothing more than a giant black mass swinging in the wind, had her fooled more times this evening than she cared to count. She seemed to see lots of dark creatures moving about everywhere, but at a closer look they turned out to be nothing more than whistling leaves or garden gnomes – her mother would give them hell if she knew they were in her garden – or, as in the most recent case, her cat. She purred, gliding around Dora's legs and then with a final "Meow" went back into the house through the open back door. Again there was a shift in the shadows and Dora's heart raced.

"Ooh, stop being dramatic!" she scolded herself aloud. There was nothing to be afraid of after all. It was only an old, spooky forest. It was far away, so that she could only just see it at the horizon. Her parents' house and garden were protected by security charms, nothing and noone they did not want to would be able to get through. Dora absently licked her ice cream. She looked up at the full, round, white moon, shining innocently from the black sky. Dora glared at it without consciously deciding to do so. A dog barked in the neighbourhood and Dora jumped.

"You going to come back in tonight?"

She turned and saw her dad standing in the doorway to their house. He frowned at her.

"Can't I stay? It's not late and the air's still warm..." she pleaded with him. "You know, other kids my age already smoke and drink. I only want to stay in the garden for a bit longer."

Her father smiled. "Can't argue with that, I guess." he said and went back in.

Dora turned back to watching the forest when she heard the back door open again. Her dad stepped out onto the grass and unfolded a garden chair. Then he went back in to fetch a second one, which he put down in the grass. He gestured for Dora to take a seat and sat down in the other. They stayed like that for a good while, Dora almost anxiously observing the forest and Ted staring dreamily up into the sky.

After a long silence Ted spoke. "I believe I know why you're here tonight." Dora finished her ice and leaned back into the chair. "If you want to–"

"How long have you known?"

Ted looked sideways at his daughter and sighed. "Since you were six." Silence again. "And before you throw yourself into a fit about how we could be so irresponsible and let a werewolf babysit a toddler–"

"I wasn't going to say this." Dora looked at Ted with an indignant face. "I know Remus is a kind, responsible man." After a bit of thinking. "And he taught me chess."

Ted smiled softly. "I just want to know, why you never told me? I mean, earlier?" she asked.

"Well, when you were still young, well, you were too young, we all agreed about that. And then you went to Hogwarts, were rarely home and then you were in your third year, and Remus wanted you to learn about werewolves first, because he wanted you to be unbiased as to their nature, cruelty and such. He's very serious about that. And then, well, your mum and I never felt ready to deal with you dealing with that..." in the end, Ted trailed off.

Dora watched her hands in her lap. She thought for a long time and finally reached a conclusion. Ted could see it in the way her face took on a determined look. "So, what made Remus tell me? I mean last weekend?"

Ted shrugged. "I guess he just wanted it over with. And us, too, mum and me. We'd put it off so long." He watched Dora for some time. "Does it bother you? Would you rather not see him anymore?"

"Of course not! I mean, it does bother me a great deal, because I did always wonder why he was poor and had cuts and bruises sometimes. And his old robes, they must've been patched for years! But I don't want him not to come anymore! He almost fled the room after he told me, as if he was afraid that I might curse him or whatnot. Does he think I want nothing to do with him anymore?" She looked at Ted, horrified.

"No, Dora, no. He just– look, he's been alone a lot since Sirius and he does not take anyone's friendship for granted. I might say he's deeply scared that you're afraid of him now. Or worse for him: repulsed."

Dora looked absolutely horrified. "How can he think that? I love him! He's the best friend I ever had! And he's always nice! Daddy, please, let's go to him right now! I can't stand him thinking I don't like him anymore!"

Ted laughed softly and took one of Dora's hands in his. "Dora, if we go to him right now he'd very likely try to eat us. And I know Remus would never forgive himself if he harmed you in any way. We can go and visit him tomorrow afternoon. Maybe it will do him some good to see you."

"Does he run around the woods right now?" Dora asked, looking towards the forest again, frowning.

"No, he locks himself up somewhere so that he won't accidentally hurt someone." Ted smiled reassuringly.

"Where does he lock himself up?"

"You can ask him yourself tomorrow. He likes to tell you things, doesn't he? It will cheer him up."

Dora fell silent. After a while she and Ted put the backs of their garden chairs into a lying position and both of them stared up at the moon, shining on brightly, as if it wasn't his fault at all.

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><p><em>Comments, please?<em>


	2. Tell Her

_Here we go! Chapter two! Thanks to **Maiden of the Heavens** who was my only reviewer! Have a digital cookie!_

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><p><strong>Tell Her<strong>

Remus fidgeted nervously. He could still turn around. Maybe it wass too early. He should have thought about it. Thought it through thoroughly. Planned a speech. And then chickened out at the last chance. Why was the door opening? Oh, his traitorous finger had rung the doorbell. It played "Time after Time" this week. Andromeda's choice that was clear. Ted would probably have gone for "Smoke on the Water" and Dora? Dora would have chosen something bright, something happy, something that fit her. Like "Don't worry be happy". Remus smiled softly.

"Hello Remus! Are you okay?" Worry was written over Andromeda's face. Of course, normally he announced himself if eh was dropping by.

"I'm fine, thanks. D'you think I could have a word with you and Ted?" Remus asked straightly.

Andromeda looked bewildered but nodded and let him in. They settled in the living-room, where Ted sat, reading the Prophet. Remus shook his hand and took a deep breath.

"I'd like to tell her."

He met half confused, half concerned faces. "I mean, you know. I don't want to lie to her anymore about why I can't come to see her certain Sundays."

The confusion was gone now, Andromeda looked worried again and Ted straigtened up in his chair. "Andi, we have to tell her someday. And she's not a kid anymore. She can take it."

"I don't know, Ted. Do we have to tell her at all?" she looked pleadingly to her husband and then to Remus, the latter averting his eyes with a sad gaze. "Oh, alright. I knew this day had to come..."

Remus looked up. "I'm sorry, Andromeda. If you're strictly against it, I wont–"

"Strictly against what?" asked a voice from the door.

They all turned. Dora stood in the door, in all her 15-year old glory, including colourful shorts, a short top that showed much too much bare flesh around her middle and a dark blue sun hat. The adults just stared at her, clearly they hadn't heard her come down the stairs. She raised an eyebrow questioningly.

"What? I thought I heard the doorbell... wotcher, Remus!" she broke into a large smile and embraced him happily.

"Hey Dora. How are you?" he asked while noticing how much she had grown since the last time he'd seen her.

"Good. And you? You look... nervous."

"I'm fine." He glanced over at Andromeda and Ted. They both nodded and Ted even smiled encouragingly.

"Dora, can I talk to you? In private? Your room, maybe?" Remus asked, his heart already beating out of pace. This girl really was his sunshine. If she decided to hate him, he'd remain in darkness for the rest of his life. Dora led him up the stairs into her room and took a seat on the unmade bet, offering Remus her desk chair.

"Are you alright?" she asked and gave him a worried look.

"Not quite, Dora. I should have known I wouldn't be able to fool you." He smiled at her, though he'd rather turn and run, be the coward he thought he was.

"An Auror has to be able to tell such things. And you know what? I got an "O" in Potions this year!" She beamed at him.

Remus smiled. "Wow, that's brilliant, Dora. The best mark I ever got in Potions is an "A". How about Defense against the Dark Arts?"

"That was close, but I got my "O" there, too. The only thing I completely failed is Divination. Dad said he was very disappointed about that, but I know he was just kidding." she babbled on. "But... what did you want a word for?"

The same look of worry that Andromeda has, Remus thought affectionately. He took a deep breath and plunged in. "Dora, I won't be able to see you on Sunday. I'm sorry."

He paused a moment but went on before she could interrupt. "I'm afraid I haven't been telling the truth about why I couldn't come last time, and the time before that and so on." He paused again to try and collect his thoughts. His hands were shaking. She would understand, she was old enough now. She wasn't like everyone else, she had once burned her hand by trying to rescue an ugly Crumple Horned Snorkack, who had been injured by another animal.

Dora looked at him disbelievingly. "You mean you lied to me? Why?"

It almost broke his heart. He hurt her, and yet, he was about to hurt her more. But it was too late now, he had to spill the beans, because she needed to know why he had been lying to the one silver lining in his life.

"Dora, you're a clever girl. I know you know how poor I am. That I'm never able to keep a job for long. You've noticed my old tatty robes and trousers, I'm sure and if we lived in the same house you would have figured it out years ago, because I disappear one night each month–"

Dora's jaw dropped.

"– to transform into–"

Dora's eyes went wide.

"– a werewolf." he finished.

The girl didn't know what to say. She'd learned about werewolves at school, of course, and never would she have guessed... and she wanted to become an auror! She should have been able to _see_... but the recognising was about the wolf, not the human...

Dora became distinctly aware that Remus was waiting for a reaction. But what should she say to this kind of news? Maybe she should start by closing her mouth, she thought but before she could follow her thoughts with action, Remus was up and out of the room.

The door closed with a gentle thud.

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><p><em>Same question: Reviews? Please?<em>


	3. Visit

_So the (for now) last part. If you're in the mood I really recommend the stories "Shifts" and "Shades" on SugarQuill! :D_

_Discl.: I'm not gonna do this again._

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><p><strong>Visit<strong>

Dora straightened her sun-hat and looked herself over in the mirror. Perfect. Bright colours, short trousers and the necklace Remus had once given her. She glanced around her room and found her bag slung over the back of her desk chair. She stuffed the extra large bar of Honeyduke's into the bag and slid her wand into a hidden pouch. "Constant Vigilance!" Alastor Moody had said when he came visiting the DADA class fifth year. He had looked so gross with his wildly spinning eye and the freshly bandaged nose. But he was awesome and he had just made her want to become an auror even more. So she zipped her bag shut and pulled her shoulder through it, took one last look into the mirror, changed her hair from orange to dark brown (so the Muggles wouldn't stare) and left the room.

Dad was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and rummaged through his pockets in search of his car keys. Dora jumped the last three steps and landed gracefully beside Ted, who grinned at her when she tripped over her shoes in the hall and simply remained on the floor to put said shoes on.

Ted finally found his keys and gave his wife a kiss, who had just emerged from the kitchen with a heavy bowl of hot soup. "I put a charm on it, so it won't spill or break." she whispered in his ear and then gave her unwilling daughter a kiss.

"Try not to be too careful with him, you know how that turns out."

"Mum!" said Dora, blushing furiously at the memory of her trying to take care of a cut she had got herself and trying to mend it, landing herself in St Mungo's.

"I'll watch over her." Ted teased and opened the front door for Dora, who waved to her mother and went out. Ted followed her into his new second-hand car and got started.

Dora was unusually quiet during the drive and Ted wasn't surprised. He just let her think and concentrated on the road. They drove nearly an hour, until Dora broke the silence and turned the radio on. "Fading Like A Flower" blared from the speakers.

"Dad? Why don't we just Apparate?"

Ted kept his eyes on the road. "Because I don't want to startle him, cracking before his front door like that." They were silent again for a bit. "Dora, don't expect too much. He doesn't have a lot of money and his home is, well... let's just say... sparse."

"Did you think I'm expecting a castle?" Dora laughed lightly. "I've seen his robes. He does not own one single piece of clothes that isn't patched. Although I dunno 'bout his knickers."

"Dora, his knickers are none of your business." Ted answered, his voice shaking with amusement. Dora stuck out her tongue.

"Here we are."

Dora got out of the car and looked around. They were at the edge of a forest, not unlike the one she'd been staring at the night before. The trees were high and standing close and you couldn't see very far in. Just before it was swallowed by the darkness there was a little house. It was made of wood and looked a little bit lopsided, though not so lopsided as Charlie Weasleys house, when she had been invited there for his birthday.

There was no light in the windows.

Ted and Dora approached the house slowly, as though they didn't want to disturb anything. They could hear the birds singing lightly up in the trees and the forest smelled of fresh grass and moss, and Dora sneezed when a ray of sunlight hit her face. They stepped up to the door and Dora knocked carefully. A couple of birds flew from the noise out of the nearest tree. There was only silence. Dora looked to her father, worry written all over her face. Ted frowned.

"Knock again. A little louder."

Dora did. Silence.

Then– a thud and a moan. "Remus?" Dora called anxiously. If Ted hadn't put his warm hand on her shoulder to keep her in place, she might just have burst in through the frail door.

They heard unsteady footsteps on the wood and a moment later the door opened with a creak, revealing a dishevelled and tired Remus Lupin. His blinked his eyelids when he recognized his visitors.

"Ted? Dora?" he asked hoarsely. "What happened?"

Before he could even take in their relaxed expressions, Dora flung herself around his middle, hugging him fiercely.

"How could you believe I wouldn't like you anymore?" she said against his jumper, muffling her voice. Remus didn't know what to say to that. A lump had formed in his throat and made it impossible to voice his thoughts, even if he'd had any to express, so he just hugged her back.

"Nothing happened, Remus, can we come in?" Ted answered.

Remus relaxed a bit and stepped aside to let them in. "Don't look too closely, the place is a mess."

Dora did look closely of course. She'd never been to his home before and was curious to see what it was like. The house consisted of three rooms: a main room, where a bed stood on wobbly legs, a cupboard, a little dining table and three chairs. The other room was what looked like to Dora a loo, and the third a small kitchen, with mismatched cupboards, a sink and an oven.

"Please sit down." Remus said and quickly went to his bed to pick his blanket from the floor and put it back on the mattress. "I've been asleep... What time is it?"

"Four p.m." Dora said quietly. Remus looked at her as if he'd just only noticed her presence. She looked at him imploringly, biting her lip.

"Mind if I get us some tea, Remus? And Andi made you a soup." Ted asked and vanished into the kitchen, before Remus could answer. Dora still stared at Remus and Remus stared back. Until he seemed to snap back to reality and fell into one of the chairs by his side.

"Dora..."

"I still like you." she said very suddenly and very clearly.

Remus smiled softly and held his hand out to her. Dora took his hand and he pulled her towards him and into an embrace. "I'm sorry I've been lying. I should have told you earlier, I..."

"'S okay. Really. I already scolded Dad for keeping it secret, so..." she grinned, but it quickly turned to worry. "Are you in pain?"

Remus let her go and she sat on the chair nearest to him and kept hold of his hand. "I was last night. It was worse than ususal because I was so worried that you'd hate me. But I feel much better now."

"How could you think I'd hate you? I could never hate you, I love you." Dora looked at him with her dark eyes and her hair changed to a mousy brown, like it did when she was sad.

"I know. But understand that most people are afraid of werewolves. They find us abnormal and disgusting and they are quite right–"

"Excuse me? These people are ignorant. I mean I'd probably be scared of a transformed werewolf, too, but never of you. You could never disgust me." Dora argued.

Remus smiled sadly. "Most people feel that way, though."

"It's because they don't know you."

"Exactly." Ted had entered the room again, balancing a tray – a piece of wood really – with three cups of tea and a bowl of hot steaming soup. He put all of this down and Remus dug in while Dora and Ted drank their tea in silence.

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><p><em>Sorry for the abrupt ending. Review anyway? <em>

_This is for now the last chapter. I don't know if/when or how I will continue this. Thanks for reading!_


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